On Being Middle Class

[clovehitched]

OK, so I freely admit that I'm irredeemably middle class. I live in the middle of Cambridge. I previously worked in microelectronics. I drive a Toyota Prius. I'm writing this on an Apple laptop resting on my cherry wood dining table. Looking up at the bookshelf, I see books by Carl Sagan and China Mieville. I'm about to get married in a Cambridge college. I don't just drink Scotch, I drink single malt Islay whisky, I own a wok and chopsticks (and am proficient with them), and so on.

But I do at least take comfort from not being like these people.

I mean, I don't even know what quinoa is, and in a sort of inverted snobbery, remnants of my east midlands coalfields upbringing kinda way, regard this as probably a good thing.

But then I realised that when I'm feeling inexplicably tired, and want properly waking up with a nice cup of builder's tea, with milk and sugar, rather than some of the green earl grey, or white jasmine, or rooibos, or sencha that I have in my cupboard, the "builder's tea" I end up making is Assam, brewed in a Bodum glass teapot, whitened with milk from a bottle that was delivered to my doorstep this morning, sweetened with unrefined brown cane sugar. This led to realising the awful, awful truth; while I may never buy an Aga (and please shoot me if I do), and regard organic food as being "a bit of a con, really", I really, really am like those people.

I'm doomed!

Comments

[bloodbeauty.livejournal.com]

awwwww. you're the cute type of middle class though

and quinoa is really quite nice

[the-local-echo.livejournal.com]

Now if we see it on a menu, we're going to have to order it, just so that Sarah can squirm uncomfortably and get class guilt about it all through the meal.

But I think it's human nature to divide ourselves up into different groups of people, modify our language, clothing and other habits to make it possible for others in the know to discern our group membership, and then form irrational hatred of other groups, and even different sub-groups of the same group. I don't think such a process is especially meaningful.

[naath.livejournal.com]

My Mum bought a range cooker - best thing evar! I want one. I'm sure quinoa is a useful food, and I'd never drink builders tea (eugh, milk). Oh dear, I seem to be middle class.

Supper is an entirely useful word. It's what you have in the evening if you ate heavily in the middle of the day and don't want to say "tea" because you use that for the drink. Dammit. *grin*

[suzyscottdotcom.livejournal.com]

We're all doomed lass!

[biascut.livejournal.com]

Eh, which east midlands coalfield?!

[auntysarah.livejournal.com]

North East Derbys.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Snerk!

I'm the granddaughter of colliers on both sides of the family and I have to admit that I DO know what quinoa is (and it's very tasty :o)

That being said, I still brew builder's tea in a brown earthenware pot using a good old fashioned blend (lifeboat tea) and like it in a mug (not a cup) strong enough to stand a spoon up in (no sugar in my case though :o)

We ate dinner at lunchtime and supper at dinner time and tea was served on all occasions (not to be confused with high tea which was the special sunday meal)

You can take the girl out of the council prefab but.............

[bloodbeauty.livejournal.com]

on the subject of supper... i'd say supper is what i'd eat if i was hungry later in the evening after dinner
tea i'd eat around four o'clock with tea and cake and perhaps sandwiches
lunch at lunchtime
elevenises at midmorning
breakfast...

less middle class more hobbit i fear...

what is ones opinion of brunch?

[cyberspice.livejournal.com]

I'm doomed too then! But I knew this anyway. Both my mother and father are invariably middle class (and millionaires). My grandfather ran the company firm. My grand mother on the other side was working class but was milliner to Queen Mary! I was brought up in middle class suburbia. Nothing I could do but give in to the inevitable.

PS. My 'builders tea' is also Assam. I drive a Volvo and I used to have a dog in the back!

[alicephilippa.livejournal.com]

I came to the conclusion that I am also middle-class. Like yourself I regard myself as not being one of *those* people.

My choice is to use Broken Orange Pekoe for the builders tea. Thee are other things like preferring single estate coffees - yes I'm not just a tea snob but a coffee one as well.

I do take comfort that I don't possess the pointlessness of fish knives and cake forks.

ETA: my default user icon does look like I'm a member of the blue rinse brigade. Oh dearie me...

[bloodbeauty.livejournal.com]

*hides my cake forks in case you ever come to visit*

they're silver as well >_<

last night i was eating beans on toast from a plate with a gold rim

i would like to note that these things are robs not mine though

[techiebabe.livejournal.com]

I don't have builders' tea or coffee. This confuses people who just wanted "instant". Ew!

[claire-stretch.livejournal.com]

i think i'll stick with me poor uneducated lower class drinking my proper tea in a mug! :P

[beckyc.livejournal.com]

Er, I don't want to taint your knowledge or anything, but:

In parts of Latin America (e.g. Peru), quinoa is what *poor* people eat (so, I imagine, do the rich, but...). Like rice it's a staple food that fills.

It's OK to eat, in the same way that rice is - a bit dull, but nutritious and filling. Good replacement for cous cous.

Er, will you still speak to me now that I've admitted I know what it is? Not that it's *any* excuse, but veggie-friendly food stores sell it y'see ;-).

[auntysarah.livejournal.com]

I think it's context dependent. I fully expect that rooibos is drunk by all levels of society, including the working classes in places like Botswana and South Africa, for example, but here it's still seen as somewhat exotic and "foody".

[techiebabe.livejournal.com]

I dunno, I think you'd quite enjoy reading Debretts. I did the other day, and it taught me not to say "no more food for me, I'm full!" but "no thanks, I've had plenty".

I am becoming a LAYYYYYYYYYDEEEE! </Little Britain>

To learn about quinoa you just have to watch Masterchef, or shop at Waitrose. But don't eat it, bulgar wheat's much nicer ;-)

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

I don't do either. I have to admit that I first found it in Aldi :o)

[snakey.livejournal.com]

The (Yorkshire) teabag goes in the mug, then you put the water and the (in my case rice) milk in. With white granulated sugar. :P

I eat lunch and tea.

Oh, and I know about quinoa from being a shop assistant in a health food shop.

[alicephilippa.livejournal.com]

Tea bag goes in brown earthenware teapot...

[zoe.robinson.myopenid.com (from livejournal.com)]

Assam is lovely and from one potential class traitor (not sure I count, family history is... interesting) to another, it's hardly anything to worry about. The middle classes get a lot of stick in this country because some berks don't know how to behave but if the rest of us cringe at the thought of being middle class and thus hide, there will only be those annoying buggers for us to be judged by.

Stand up and be proud!

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

I suppose some of us got edumacated and became upwardly socially mobile and that, innit? :o)

[cjp39.livejournal.com]

I drive a Toyota Prius...China Mieville

You are in fact my role model.

[katsmeat.livejournal.com]

Just as it's silly to do something because it's associated with those you wish to emulate (fashion), it's also silly to avoid something just because it's associated with those you dispise (anti-fashion? I dunno). It's even sillier to avoid something because it's associated with people dispised by Guardian comment writers (who themselves almost cetainly tick every middle-classe-cliché check box there is).

I think an Aga could be a pretty awesome toy (though I doubt if it's got enough awesomeness to justify even a third of the price-tag). Yet the idea of a central heating boiler with a hole in the middle in which to cook stuff has got to be rather cool. It puts me in mind of those web sites with recipies for cooking things wrapped up in foil on car engine blocks.

[knirirr.livejournal.com]

I doubt if [an Aga has] got enough awesomeness to justify even a third of the price-tag

They are awesome, IMHO, but I am not entirely sure whether they justify the price.
I don't have one now but my parents have had two. The first one was coke-fired, dated from the 1920s and came with the house. The second was a gas-fired modern one that was added during a kitchen refurbishment (different house). The coke one was a handy tool for disposing of small animals the cat killed; they could be dropped into the chamber and incinerated very effectively.

[artela.livejournal.com]

And what's wrong with Agas / Range Cookers?

[auntysarah.livejournal.com]

I'm sure they're very nice and all, but I like the whole "turn the dial and fire happens" thing I have with the gas hob, and the "set the temperature and wait 5 minutes for the light to go off" on the fan oven.

[(Anonymous)]

There's nothing wrong with 'knowing what you like', as long as it doesn't manifest as snobbery or pretention. If your life reflects who you are, rather than an image of the class you think you should be, you're fine.

I've never been quite clear on the whole class thing really anyway. My mum is middle class and my dad is working class (and clearly not sane either), so I'm not sure what I am, exactly. Aspiring working class, or poor middle class, how is it decided? I certainly 'know what I like' including quinoa (you should try it if you like rice or cous cous), but I'm not a snob. At least, not by my criteria :-S

Maz.

[auntysarah.livejournal.com]

I think it's about what you like and do, who your social circle comprises of, etc.

[jessie-c.livejournal.com]

...regard organic food as being "a bit of a con, really"...

All food is organic. If it were inorganic, it would be inedible.

{/pedant}

[auntysarah.livejournal.com]

salt?

[becky44.livejournal.com]

Funny this.... someone recently told me that I'm most definitely 'upper middle class' - which in comparison with the established requirements leaves me somewhat confused.

She also said how strange it was that I also reveled in kebabs, diet coke, and curries.... - which isn't surprising as I've never met a good enough guy for a partner and never felt the need to act all pretentious. I leave that to those who feel inadequate and need the 'crutch' of sterotypical status to find their place in the world.

And on food - what can beat a proper chicken donner with loads of salad and peppers as a healthy meal? Which reminds me - I'm going to get one tonight just before the new series of Primeval starts!

[bethybabes.livejournal.com]

I always think it's best to be thought a bit of a snob than a bit common. But then, I'm a bit of a snob!

[sarahs-muse.livejournal.com]

Cane sugar and milk in your tea? Good god woman! You'll have a tireless car on your lawn in no time.

As for supper-my maid prepares it for me. Her name's Jodi - very loyal. I took her in as a feral stray many years ago.